'Painted Grace and Sacred Femininity' is a 35-minute documentary that examines how women and female attire were represented in 19th- and 20th-century Buddhist temple murals in southern and western Sri Lanka. Focusing on temples such as Panadura Rankoth Vehera and Kathaluwa Purvaramaya, the film explores how the sari and osari became powerful symbols of morality, nationalism, and feminine virtue during periods of colonial and cultural transformation. Through expert commentary and visual analysis, it reveals how earlier artistic traditions that celebrated sensuous, fluid depictions of women were reshaped by Victorian aesthetics and nationalist ideals - turning the female body into a site of negotiation between devotion, modesty, and modernity.



Released in line with ICES’ new publication 'Shared Sanctities' (Second Edition), the film complements its exploration of Sri Lanka’s layered cultural histories. The documentary is directed by Sujeewa de Silva, a photographer and filmmaker with over 20 years of experience documenting South Asian cultures and heritage.

 13 NOVEMBER 2025

4:30 PM at the ICES Kandy Auditorium

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Call/ Whatsapp / Text to: Vasantha: 0765446096